A Collection of Kansas Classics

In the 1920s, Jensen Bros. began building pumping units in Coffeyville, Kan., just 40 miles from Neodesha, Kan., site of one of the earliest (1892) oil fields in the western U.S.

Photo by Loretta Sorensen

Leon Becker's Ottawa log saw rig has a 5-foot blade. The 1923 model was said to "saw as two men would, only many times faster."

Photo by Loretta Sorensen

Leon Becker.

Photo by Loretta Sorensen

A 4-cycle, 5 hp Ottawa engine powers Leon’s Ottawa log saw. Log saw engines like the Ottawa were typically throttle-governed instead of hit-and-miss, a feature that allowed them to react faster to changing loads on the saw and maintain a constant engine speed.

Photo by Loretta Sorensen

Close-up of the Jensen Bros. pump jack.

Photo by Loretta Sorensen

According to an ad in a 1923 issue of Popular Mechanics, the 1923 Ottawa log saw was considered, “The standard by which all log saws are judged.” It was said to be fast and easy to move, and was capable of making 350 saw cuts per minute. The timing was right for the Kansas company: In 1923, a nationwide coal shortage drove sudden growth in woodcutting-related industries.